EPA Continues To Review WOTUS Comments

The EPA continues to review comments regarding the proposed replacement of WOTUS.  Tate Bennett, an associate Administrator at the EPA, said while the comment period technically closed April 15^th, the EPA is pouring over the thousands of comments received.  So, when will the final ruling on WOTUS be released?

“TBD on the final rule.  I know that it is important to sort of get that out of the way, and get through our comments and finalize the proposal.”

That she said, it due to court actions that have resulted in 22 states covered under the 2015 rule, including Washington, Oregon and California.  Meanwhile, the remaining states are covered by regulation implemented over three decades ago.

“This is something that the Administrator [Andrew Wheeler] feels very passionate about, that we need to have one rule, for all 50-plus entities that we regulate, so that’s it’s communicated, very precisely what rule you fall under.”

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